Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has described the alarming rate of the country losing its human resource to road accidents, as “regrettable” and worrying.

Speaking at the 2020 West African Security Services Association (WASSA) ceremony at the Police Headquarters in Accra, Dr. Bawumia indicated that the frequent occurrence of carnages on Ghana’s roads leave perpetual pain and psychological scars on victims and their families.

“Road accidents have almost become the order of the day, seriously damaging families, homes, organisations, and national productivity,” he stated.

He added: “The government, security agencies, and the general public have key roles to play to nib this tragedy in the bud.”

Road accidents in the country have been on the rise in the last decade; however, conversations on road safety have been reignited since a major carnage that occurred on January 14, 2020, at Dompoase junction on the Cape Coast-Takoradi highway, claimed the lives of 34 people, shocking the nation.

The Vice President has, therefore, charged the police administration to step up its mandate to prevent the rampant road crashes that leave psychological scars on the minds of families.

“As the lead internal law enforcement agency [Ghana Police Service], you should endeavour to prevent road accidents through effective enforcement and educational initiatives on the vehicle roadworthiness, over speeding and road safety practices,” he directed.

Dr. Bawumia said the National Insurance Commission’s recently introduced policy that links its database to that of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority’s (DVLA) will make it easy for the police officers to check and enforce the road safety policies.

He said the police “will not only be able to find out if the vehicle has been insured, [they will] know whether it has the roadworthiness, and it was properly registered as well. And so just with your phone, you can be able to enforce the law without going far.”

About the upcoming general elections, the Vice President instructed the police administration to deal decisively with persons who create troubles before, during and after the 2020 national elections to sustain the peace.

“As law enforcement agents, you need to demonstrate your neutrality to protect and guarantee the sanctity of the entire electioneering process.

“Ensure that the elections are conducted in a peaceful atmosphere devoid of any form of intimidation and threat to lives and property.”

He assured of government’s commitment to a credible, peaceful and transparent election to ensure that no life will be lost neither will any citizen be maimed before, during and after the electioneering process.